Urgent: Naperville SUV Owner Tracks Unauthorized Dealership Use

BREAKING: A Naperville man has revealed alarming details about his SUV being driven without permission by a dealership employee, raising serious concerns about trust and vehicle security. Jonathan Gregory, while overseas in Germany, discovered through his FordPass app that his Ford Explorer was racking up 140 miles during unauthorized joyrides, including trips to Berwyn, Illinois, approximately 25 miles from Fair Oaks Ford, where his vehicle was being serviced.

Gregory first grew suspicious when he noticed an increase of over 100 miles after a service visit. “I left my car in the trust of the dealership… and here I am in Germany and my car is being driven back and forth to a neighborhood I don’t know,” he expressed, clearly shaken by the breach of trust.

Upon checking his app, Gregory was stunned to see his SUV’s mileage increase from 8,302 miles to 8,440 miles while in the dealership’s care. The dealership initially claimed the technician needed to drive the vehicle to assess a noise issue with the sunroof, but Gregory felt this was excessive and unwarranted.

He took immediate action, capturing screenshots from the app showing his vehicle’s unauthorized movements. “I have daily screenshots from the app where the car was going back and forth to Berwyn every day for several days,” he stated.

In addition to filing a report with the Illinois Attorney General, Gregory also sought to be released from his vehicle lease due to the incident, a request that was denied. However, Fair Oaks Ford offered him a resolution that included a lifetime of free oil changes and maintenance, along with covering tolls incurred during the unauthorized use.

The dealership’s general manager responded to the situation, stating, “Fair Oaks Ford takes customer concerns extremely seriously… Our dealership has strict policies that prohibit employees from using customer vehicles for any unauthorized purpose.” Following the incident, the employee responsible has been terminated, and the dealership is reinforcing its policies to ensure such violations do not occur again.

Gregory’s experience highlights a critical issue for car owners: the importance of monitoring vehicle usage and ensuring that trust is maintained when leaving a car for service. “The two most expensive purchases people make in their life are their cars and their homes, and you don’t want either of them being used without your permission,” he emphasized.

As this story develops, car owners are urged to utilize tracking apps provided by automakers to monitor mileage and location. Regular checks of the vehicle’s odometer and receipts can also help identify any unauthorized use.

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story that raises significant questions about consumer rights and dealership responsibilities.